Carriage-top



I (No Model.)

' G. G. LAWRENCE.

CARRIAGE TOP.

-No. 316,983. Patentefi'May 6, 1885.

N. PETERS. Pmumnmr, Wnhlngwn. an.

UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcn.

COOK C. LAIVRENOE, OF MONROE, WISCONSIN.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,983, dated May 5, 1885. Application filed January 2-2, 1885. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COOK O. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monroe, in the county of Green and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Carriage-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

I have improved the folding top of a car riage or buggy in the provision of a forward folding extension pivoted to the top side braces and supported by side knuckle-jointed front props pivoted to the front bows, whereby the top-front has a folding extension supported by short front props having downwardly-closing knuckle-joints producing a symmetrical overhanging front adapted to fold with the top.

In the combination, with the top forward folding extension, of the front jointed props, the latter do not interfere with persons entering or leaving the seat, and are knuckle-jointed beneath said front extension, so as to fold in the same manner as the top sidebraces-that is, both with upwardly'opening knuokle-joints whereby the top-braces and the front props co-operate in their folding and in their top supporting functions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in side elevation a buggytop in raised position having my improvement applied thereto; Fig. 2, a side elevation showing the front top extension and the topbraces partially folded, and Fig. 3 shows the top partially folded; Fig. 4, the top and topextension fully folded; and Fig. 5 shows a different form of front prop for the front extension.

The framebows a b o of the top may be of any suitable arrangement, and connected to the seat in any suitable manner for folding v with the side props, cl, which in the arrangemcnt shown are pivoted at e to the middle bow near its top. The top-braces f are pivoted to the middle bows at e and to the curved ends at e of the front horizontal top how, 9, which forms the front extension of the top; and these braces are knuckle-jointed, so as to close downward. This front extension is supported by side props, h, pivoted at their lower ends at?) to the front bows, a, and knucklejointed so as to close downward to a section, j, of said prop rigidly fastened to the front extension-bow. These front props are pivoted to the front bows, a, near the middle of the length thereof, and their knuckle-joints are beneath the front extension. The rigidlyconnected sections j of the front props are shorter than the sections h, which are pivoted to the front bows, so that the front extensionprops will fold in the same direction with the front sections of the top-braces, as shown in Fig. 2.

I prefer to form the front extension-props arching to give a symmetrical support to the overhanging front; and I prefer to pivot the I front props to the inner sides of the front bows. WVhen folded,-the front top-extension will cover the interiorof the top and protect it from dust.

The braces and the front props co-operate to afford a firm support to the frontoverhanging top bow, and thus avoid any springing, jumping, or jerking movement of the front top bow. The top-cover connects with the front extension, and it is the support which the latter has from the front top-props, ii, that V saves the cover from the destructive effects which would result from ajerking movement of the front overhanging extension. The front props are therefore important in co-operating with the top-braces to sustain the front extension by a direct vertical action from the front bow.

In the arrangement of the braces, the front top extension, and the front props, which I have shown, the flexive of the braces allows the front bow, at, and the front props to be folded with the front top-extension without folding the top or flexing the top-props.

I do not claim, broadly, a front top-extension jointed to and folding with the top-braces and connected withthe cover, the said front top-extension being supported by the knucklejoints of the top-braces, but the improvement in which I have combined front knucklejointed props for said front top-extension.

I claim- 1. In a folding buggy-top, the front extension, connected to the top-braces f, in combination with the front props, h, pivoted at i to the front bows, a, below the top-braces, and knuckle-jointed to rigid arms j of said front extension, whereby the latter is braced and arms j of said front extension, whereby the 10 supported against springing, jumping, or jerklatter is supported horizontally by the toping in its overhanging position, and the top braces and vertically by the front props. thereby prevented from injury, as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 5 2. In a folding buggy-top, the combination presence of two witnesses.

of the props d, the top-braces f, and the top- COOK O. LAWRENCE. front extension g, with the front props, h, WVitnesses: pivoted at i to the front bows, a, below said F. O. BENNETT,

top-braces and knucklejointed to short rigid HENRY LUDLoW. 

